ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. band — a ring
  3. deal — to handle
  4. key — in music
  5. field — farmland
  6. band — a music group
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. field — a subject
  17. rock — a stone
  18. field — for sport
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rock — music
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com